Truex strengthens grip as driver to beat for NASCAR title
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Martin Truex Jr. ended NASCAR’s final practice on top.
Do it Sunday when it counts and Truex will drive away with his first NASCAR Cup championship.
Truex was fastest in the final practice of the season, hitting 171.195 mph on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway and again stamping himself as the driver to beat in the finale. He has led the Cup Series in nearly every measurable category and is a seven-time winner this year.
“I think we definitely have enough speed to do what we need to do,” Truex said.
Truex, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick race for the title in the winner-take-all format that crowns a champion. Truex’s No. 78 Toyota scraped the wall in practice Saturday and it still didn’t matter.
Busch, the 2015 series champ, was sixth (169.492), 2012 champ Brad Keselowski was 11th (168.824) and 2014 champion Kevin Harvick was 18th (166.795).
Busch, of Joe Gibbs Racing, hoped to join seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson as the only active drivers with multiple titles.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a solid seventh in practice, but an engine change will drop him to the rear of the field for his final NASCAR Cup race.
The champ walks away with the sport’s biggest prize on Sunday. Earnhardt, Danica Patrick and Matt Kenseth are set to walk away.